The present invention relates generally to bath seats and, more particularly, bath seat for a child or infant.
Infants and young children are typically incapable of sitting up and supporting themselves while getting a bath. Such support is important, since small children tend to be top-heavy and can easily topple over into their bath water. A caregiver bathing a small child must therefore provide not only cleanse the child, but also provide constant support to prevent the child from injury from falling over in the tub and/or from inhaling bath water.
One means for the caregiver to prove support is for the caregiver to continuously hold onto the child during the bathing process. This is usually difficult for a single caregiver to do, as wet, soapy young children tend to be slippery, all the more so if they squirm. Further, it is undesirable for an individual caregiver to have to constantly hold onto a child during bathing, since this leaves only one free hand with which to actually bathe the child. Bathing a child one-handedly increases the likelihood of introducing soapy water into the child""s eyes, nose, and/or mouth, causing the child discomfort and actuating even more vigorous squirming.
Another means for supporting a small child at bath time is through the use of a support device. Such devices generally include a support ring or shelf supported by a plurality of support members attached to a base. Examples of such devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,460 issued Oct. 27, 1992 to Bernstein et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,433 issued Nov. 18, 1997 to Garner ct al. These devices typically include suction cups attached to the base to adhere the bath seat to the bathtub while a child seated therein is being bathed. The base portion functions as the seat while the support members and/or the ring or shelf functions as a front and rear support. The base may have a non-slip surface to prevent the child from sliding within the seat.
While these bath seat devices are adequate to provide some support to a child getting a bath in a tub having a smooth floor, the base-mounted suction cups are less effective in anchoring the seat to a tub having a textured floor. Further, the circular design of the support shelf necessitates a shelf ring having a diameter sized only slightly wider than the child in order to provide adequate support and restraint during the child""s bath, making it difficult to insert, adjust, and remove the child from the seat. Also, the non-slip seat surface (in those seats having one) is typically a textured rubber coating, which is somewhat uncomfortable against the child""s skin and may cause chafing or abrasion if the child squirms vigorously during bathing.
There is therefore a need for a bath seat capable of securely containing a child during bath time that can be securely anchored in a textured bath tub, that has a comfortable nonskid seat, and that is readily accessible to the care giver. The present invention is directed toward meeting this need.
The present invention relates to a child""s bath seat having a base, a top shelf portion with a generally triangular aperture formed therein, a plurality of support members extending between the base and the top shelf portion and at least one tether extending from a support member and terminating in a suction cup. In addition, a plurality of clips are connected to at least some of the respective support members. The clips extend partially over the base and exert a clamping force thereon. The clamping force urges any object positioned therebetween, such as a washrag, toward the base.
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved bathtub seat. Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description.